The Path to UB

Life doesn’t always take you in the direction that you
expect. Just ask Jerry Buckleaw.

Jerry started out earning his degree in computer programming at
Buffalo State College, but he was soon drawn to networking. He
found its application of logic and conclusive answers
satisfying.

“I liked the logic and clear black-and-white answers,"
Jerry said. "You end up building things and, if done properly, it
works.”

Jerry was working for a local bank, monitoring their ATM
network, when he heard of a job opening for a network engineer at
UB. Twenty years later, he's UB’s Senior Network Engineer,
responsible for the design of UB’s entire Wi-Fi
network.

Growing a Secure Network

With the UB community relying on the Internet for so much,
including keeping our personal information safe, network security
is a top priority for Jerry. “We’re all about access
and authentication: making sure people that don’t have access
don’t get it and that that those who do are secured.”
Jerry will have one eye fixed firmly on network security as he
helps grow the next generation of Wi-Fi infrastructure for
students, faculty and staff.

A High-Tech Hobby

In his free time, Jerry enjoys a popular activity known as
"geocaching." "It’s hide and seek, but high tech,”
Jerry explained. “Someone goes out and hides a 'cache,' which
is a little canister. They put the GPS coordinates online and your
goal is to find it [with your GPS device]. When you find a
canister, you sign the log inside it. I dropped one out west and
now I’m watching it work its way back east.”

The Spice of Life

More than any individual accomplishment, Jerry appreciates the
variety of roles he has held at UB, and the perspective it has
given him on all of those positions. “I started as a network
engineer, one of the lower level people, worked my way up to a lead
engineer and eventually took on a managerial role. I oversaw all
the departmental aspects, then I morphed again from the manager
role to a senior architect role. Professionally, I’ve touched
on a lot of aspects of the spectrum at UB.”

“On the personal side," Jerry continued, "I’ve
worked with a lot of good people, and I've made plenty of
friendships and bonds. We’ve all grown together. [NCS
engineer] Joe Pautler actually worked under me as a student and
I’ve had the chance to see him grow into the role he fills
now as a network architect.”